VDE vs. RAYS

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

VDE (Vanguard Energy ETF) and RAYS (Global X Solar ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index, while RAYS is a Alternative Energy Equities fund tracking the Solactive Solar Index. Both are passively managed. VDE charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for RAYS.

Performance

VDE vs. RAYS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) and Global X Solar ETF (RAYS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

VDE

• 1D: -0.37%
• 1M: 9.84%
• 6M: 15.00%
• YTD: 32.88%
• 1Y: 41.79%
• 3Y*: 14.18%
• 5Y*: 23.47%
• 10Y*: 9.60%
• ALL TIME*: 8.25%

RAYS

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	$78.09M	$74.66M	$108.47M

VDE vs. RAYS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	14.15%
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	0.00%

VDE vs. RAYS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VDE	RAYS
Energy	76.9%	-
Basic Materials	0.4%	0.9%
Industrials	0.3%	21.4%
Utilities	0.1%	6.8%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	4.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	66.9%

Return for Risk

VDE vs. RAYS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VDE

VDE Risk / Return Rank: 70
VDE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
VDE Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
VDE Omega Ratio Rank: 69
VDE Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VDE Martin Ratio Rank: 57

RAYS

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VDE vs. RAYS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) and Global X Solar ETF (RAYS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	VDE	RAYS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.01	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.59	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.79	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.50	—	—

Drawdowns

VDE vs. RAYS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VDE drawdown since its inception was -74.20%, which is greater than RAYS's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDE and RAYS.

Drawdown Indicators

	VDE	RAYS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.20%	0.00%	-74.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.04%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.41%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.58%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-69.29%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.98%	0.00%	-5.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.88%	0.00%	-19.88%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.59%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	VDE	RAYS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.28%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.59%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.89%	0.00%	+20.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.11%	0.00%	+26.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.91%	0.00%	+29.91%

VDE vs. RAYS - Expense Ratio Comparison

VDE has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than RAYS's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

VDE vs. RAYS - Dividend Comparison

VDE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.44%, while RAYS has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	2.44%	3.11%	3.23%	3.34%	3.65%	4.13%	4.76%	3.42%	3.35%	2.90%	2.31%	3.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, VDE or RAYS?

On fees, VDE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VDE or RAYS?

VDE is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for RAYS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, VDE or RAYS?

VDE has the higher dividend yield at 2.44%, compared with 0.00% for RAYS.

What is the main difference between VDE and RAYS?

VDE is categorized as Energy Equities, while RAYS is Alternative Energy Equities. VDE tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index, while RAYS tracks Solactive Solar Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Global X. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VDE and 0.50% for RAYS.